As the year gets up and running, we thought we would take a moment and reflect on some of our highlights from the end of 2017.
The end of 2017 sure was busy for Arcadia, and whilst it didn’t slow down we made sure to celebrate in tremendous style. The brigade’s Christmas party was a huge hit at Geranium Cottage. Fantastic food, a lot of belly laughs, and horrendous Christmas cracker jokes was a recipe for a great evening.
Looking back over 2017 the brigade grew with new recruits, who have now been joining us on the fire ground after passing their basic firefighter course. We have also seen our female crew members grow. At the beginning of 2017 we saw our first all-female crew, we’ll soon have 2 crews!
In December we had the opportunity to visit Richmond RAAF base to talk to the crews of the DC-10 Air Tanker affectionately known as Nancy Bird, and the Hercules aircraft called Thor, both of which are part of NSW RFS arsenal for fighting fires. Our members were not only offered a tour of the planes but were given insight into the operation of these aircrafts, including the operations of the aviation ground teams to obtaining the lifesaving results. This was also an opportunity to say thanks to the crews who we only see working above us.
As we enter March our brigade has been preparing itself for the year ahead, with many of our members continuing their learning by undertaking varying courses. Two of our members gained the opportunity to attend the Careflight Trauma Workshop that was held mid February at Careflight’s Education Centre based in Westmead. This workshop looked at how first responders can help sustain life, especially in remote areas. It covered a number of topics and then put into practice with varying scenarios, they also included sound effects.
Arcadia recently assisted Dural Rural Fire Brigade with the start of their Hazard Reduction (HR) preparation, we too have started work on our local area. It is safe to say we have a lot to do. Amongst this we have been attending fire calls, notably a single motor vehicle accident in Arcadia. It serves as a stark reminder to respect the road rules and road conditions whether you are familiar with the area or not. Luckily the persons involved only sustained minor injuries. But the prize for the most unique call we’ve attended in 2018 thus far has to be awarded to an unruly parrot who decided to tour the Arcadian skies at sunrise. We couldn’t help but agree with the bird that that particular morning was stunning, but the bird was safely returned to a very appreciative owner after its escapades.
